I asked each team member to send their lessons learned and favorite moments – they haven’t seen each other’s responses until now.

Lessons Learned

Amanda – My lesson learned is a reminder of the truth in the adage that you mentally give up before you physically have to.  I had to repeatedly remind myself of this during the final stretch of Day 1.

Christa – Umm I could say several, like just say no!  Haha but also anything is possible if you put your mind to it!

Christy – Trust your instincts on pace and training – it’s ok not to follow the crowd. Mental prep is just as important as physical prep (maybe more so!). A good team and encouraging support group makes all the difference. If you dig way down and believe you can do it, nothing is impossible.

Heather – Avon miles are longer than real miles. [This is true! Heather and Amanda wore FitBits, which recorded our TOTAL miles, including the long walks to and from the start and finish. We actually walked 30.24 on Day 1 and 15.5 miles on Day 2 – TOTAL OF 45.74 MILES!]

Hilary – Set a backup alarm! Don’t pack so much to carry on the walk.

Favorite Moments

Amanda – Crossing the finish line with all four of my teammates on Day 1 (and again on Day 2).

Christa – Watching Christy and Hillary do the survivor walk at the end, your strength is amazing!! And that moment was so touching!!

Christy – Each Rest Stop when our team would rally and encourage whichever one of us needed it the most at that stop (usually me). Survivor’s Walk – it was the first time I have openly called myself a “survivor,” scared I would jinx myself somehow. But with that last march into the Closing Ceremonies – after 39 miles – I felt like the last 3 years of treatment is finally behind me, and I’m back.

Heather – Watching Hilary & Christy march in with other survivors during the closing ceremony.

Hilary – Hearing New York local survivors tell us how the money raised personally impacted them (the girl that was diagnosed at 25 with no health insurance) and the closing ceremony the survivors walk-that I almost didn’t participate in. My favorite stretch of the walk was the last part of the trail leading to Base Camp with the sun going down.

We thank you for following along with us and for everyone’s support. Until next time . . . we will keep on walking.

Team Carolina Girls!

Christy

Amanda

Christa

Heather

Hilary